John ii



(No Model.)

J. H. LEB1 SOAP HOLDER AND RUBBER.

Patented Feb. 3, 1891.`

UNITED STATES PATENT @Erica JOHN ll'. LEE, 0F NORNVALK, CONNECTIC l", ASSIGNOR TO I'IIMSEIJIWAND BRAINERD lV. MAPES, OF SAME PLACE, AND CHARLES L. HEINS, OE NEV Yoan, N. Y.

SOAP HOLDER AND RUBBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,701, dated February 3, 1891.

Application led April 29, 1889. Serial No. 309,049. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Il. LEE, of Norn walk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful 4 5 Improvement in Soap Holders and Rubbers; and the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to certain novel and useful improvements in the construction of [o soap-holders and hand-rubbers; and the object of said invention is to produce a device adapted to hold a single cake of soap, and which device in use is held at one side in the hand, the soap being continuously pressed against the rubbing-surface of the other side as the same Wears away.

My invention consists in a two-part case of sheet metal or analogous material adapted to hold a single cake of soap. The bott-om of 2o the case is oblong and made of a metallic band, to the lower part of which is secured the edges of a convex rubber of wire-cloth or similar material. The top or cover has a flanged edge or ring adapted to lit within the bottom,and I provide a spring acting against the cover portion to press the cake of soap against the rubbing-surface of wire-cloth. The cake of soap is entirely inclosed. In use the hand grasps the case and the surface of 3o wire-cloth is pressed against the surface to be cleaned and rubbed thereon. The spring continues to act until the cake of soap is used up, when a new cake can be inserted in the holder with facility.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my improved hand soap-rubber. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4 are modifications hereinafter more fully described.

The bottom or lower portion of the case is preferably made of a band ct of metal of any desired outline or shape and slightly larger than a cake of soap, and b represents the rubber of Wire-cloth made into an internal concave form and constituting the convex external rubbingsurface projecting below the band a, the edge of which is soldered to the inner surface of the lower edge of theband o, and into this band d and wire-cloth i) the cake of soap c is adapted to be placed.

d representsthe sheet-metal top or cover having a turned-over edge or bead at 2 and a flange or rim d', which rim is adapted to lit snugly within the metal body or band ct and entirely inclose the cake of soap. The spiral spring c is secured at its apex to the under side of the metal top or cover d, and its base rests upon a plate or follower f upon the upper surface of the cake of soap c, and when the cover d is in place, as shown in Fig. 2, v6o the spiral spring e is compressed and its force acts against the plate f and cake of soap c to press the soap tightly against the inner surface of the rubber of wirecloth b.

In use thehand is passed over the top cover d and grasps the same and the body or band a, and the surface of the wire-cloth h is pressed and rubbed against the article to be cleansed in the presence of water, and the surface of the wire-cloth b being smooth,but yet 7o undulating, assists the action of the soap by producing a rubbing friction upon the surface of the article to be cleansed. This Wirecloth b being of line open mesh permits the particles of soap and suds to pass through it and the wire-cloth becomes more or less ernbedded in the immediate surface of the soap, and there are no points or projections in this wire-cloth to tear or injure delicate fabrics.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of my im- 8o provement, wherein the top or cover d is hinged at 'g on one side to the body or band o, and is held in place upon the other side by a spring-catch h, and I may prefer to employ this means of holding the top or coverd to the band or body a instead of relying upon the tight fitting of the parts, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The modification illustrated in Fig. et consists in providing the lower edge of the ver- 9o tical rim d of lthe cover with one or more metal bands t, forming followers, soldered to the lower edge of rim d and adapted to pass across one side of the cake of soap and to bear upon the same, and in this case I provide lugs or projecting arms 7c 7a', secured at one of their ends to the exterior surface of the body or band a, and a rubber band passes over the top of the cover d and itsends are passed around the lugs lc 7c', and the contractile action of the rubber band acts through the cover (l and the metal band or bands i to press the cake ot soap c against vthe surface oll the rubber ot' Wire-cloth ZJ.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, in a soap-holder and hand-rubber, of a two-part case adapted to hold a single cake of soap, one part consisting of a band a and a projecting convex rubber of Wire-cloth I), secured together at their edges, the other part consisting of a cover d, having an edge or rim d and spring and follower acting to press the cake of soap ,againstthe surface of wire-cloth b, substantially as set forth.

2. A soap-holder and hand-rubber composed 2o soap against the Wire-cloth, substantially as 3o and for the purposes set forth.

Signed by me this 22d day of Aprll, A. D. 1889.

V JOHN H. LEE.

Witnesses:

J. H. WADE, G. G. BRYANT. 

